Wail, ye fields and woods of France!
Rivers, dim your sunny glance!
All of strong, and fair, and old
That the eyes of men behold,
Mountain grey, and hermit dell,
Sun and stars unquenchable,
Founts whose kisses woo the lea,
Endless, many-flooded sea,
All that witnesses a power
To o'erawe the importunate hour,
Human works devoutly wrought
To unfold enduring thought,
Shrines that seem the reverend birth
Of an elder, holier earth,
Mourn above your altars dear,
Quaking with no godless fear!
And, thou deepest heart of man,
Home of Love ere Sin began,
Faith prophetic, Mercy mild,
Patriot passion undefiled,
Mourn with righteous grief the day
When was hushed your choral lay!
When the hovering guardian band
Of the liberated land,
Radiant kings, were seen to wane,
And were eyeless clouds again;
When the foe, who far recoiled,
By a maiden's presence foiled,
Rushed again in grim despair
From his burning bloody lair,
And made prey of her whose word
Was so oft a living sword.